Efficient steel reinforced concrete homes - PAD Systems

For more information, contact Phil at [email protected].

On March 11, 2003, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued Patent number US 6,530,553 B1 for the PAD System, an innovative proprietary method of constructing concrete masonry buildings.

Many buildings are constructed of reinforced concrete i.e., walls, floor and roof slabs to effect durability and stability. These properties are especially desirable for buildings such as houses and multi-story dwellings, which are susceptible to destructive windstorms, earthquakes and fire. Concrete masonry structures are not prone to attack by termites, rotting and vermin, as structures of wood and other materials may be.

One traditional method of constructing buildings is to use standard cement blocks, joined by mortar and subsequently plastered on both sides by skilled masons. Because the individual cement blocks are placed manually, one at a time (the most common method of installation) the need for skilled masons to erect the blocks and plaster the walls, makes this method labor intensive, costly and time consuming. In addition, it is subject to the availability and skill of the required masons.

The PAD System, eliminates the need for skilled labor entirely; NO cement blocks are incorporated into the building. The molds are fabricated of steel plate, similar to molds used in pre-cast plants. Therefore, when the molds are released from the cast-in-place concrete, the wall finishes are similar in appearance and texture to pre-cast panels.

A workforce of seven unskilled laborers, employing only wrenches, stripping bars, one set of molds and a crane, builds the walls for each house, in one day.

The illustrated houses being built have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and cover a living area of 900 square feet, plus a carport of 280 square feet.

At year-end 2003, over 700 single family detached houses have been built using the PAD System.